Spring break is always a great vacation from school, whether you’re traveling or staying home. Unfortunately, many people this year will have to cancel their travel plans due to the coronavirus once again. Although not being able to enjoy the same activities as a normal year may be frustrating, there are still ways you can have a fun spring break while stuck at home.
1. Video Games
Video games are a great way of de-stressing and disconnecting from the real world. I have dedicated hours to playing The Sims in the past few days. I have not done that in months. However, with all my extra free time, I also plan on taking out some of my older consoles such as my Nintendo DS and my Super Nintendo, both of which I haven’t touched in months. I have several video game missions I need to finish, so I plan to do so over the next few weeks.
2. Work Ahead On Assignments
I’ve been so overwhelmed with all my assignments lately, so I will be taking advantage of my additional free time and try to work ahead on my assignments. With the end of the semester approaching quickly, any chance for working ahead on assignments will help you in the long run.
3. Donate Supplies
Don’t be the person who buys all the hand sanitizers and paper towel rolls. You definitely don’t need that much! If you do find that you have an excess amount of supplies, it could be a good idea to donate those supplies to places like shelters that may be in dire need of them. Make sure there is a donation option that will reduce person-to-person contact.
4. Shop for the People Who Can’t
Going along with donating supplies, try to see if you can help the more vulnerable people during these times. While you should avoid going out where there may be a large amount of people, if you need to go grocery shopping, why not shop for those who can’t. It’s likely that people over a certain age or people with health problems are not getting to the stores right now because they are at a higher risk of becoming sick. Check out local postings or even ask in neighborhood groups and see if there is anyone who may need some help in buying the necessities during this time.
5. Take a Virtual Tour or Trip
While you might not be able to physically travel, you can virtually travel! Zoos and museums across the nation are promoting virtual tours of their facilities right now. You can even find virtual tours of different cities such as New York City.
6. Make Tik Toks
Tik Tok is still the most entertaining app since before the pandemic started. I’m embarrassed to admit that I danced for 15 years and was able to pick up choreography very quickly but for some reason, I can’t seem to learn Tik Tok dances. So, when I’m not doing homework or playing video games, I plan to become a Tik Tok pro.
7. Read!
With so much focus on school and work, we often neglect reading for fun. Since you will be stuck at home for spring break this year, why not pick up a book you really want to read (or finish one you started a while ago)! I recently finished reading the book The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison which is part of the Broken Earth series. and I’m totally hooked. If you need some other reading recommendations though, check out this list here!
8. Learn a New Skill
For the past few months, I’ve been focusing on learning how to play the piano. Unfortunately, I neglect developing this skill every-time the school semester starts. However, with two weeks available to me right now, I can put all my time and focus on learning how to play!
9. Have a Movie Night or Game Night!
If you are stay-cationing with your family, why not host a movie night or a game night! Pull out your favorite snacks and get comfortable with your favorite movie or game. The hours will fly when you’re doing something fun with your family.
10. Do a Home Workout
Don’t let being stuck at home keep you from working out. If you have workout gear at home, try to create a new workout technique. Or, if you don’t have any workout gear, try to use the stuff around your house. For example, full jugs of juice can be used as weights depending on how heavy they are. You can also check out workout tutorials on websites such as Youtube! The channel blogilates has plenty of workout videos that can help you stay fit at home!
11. Clean, Clean, Clean!
Clean everything! Disinfect any and all surfaces. You can also clean out unneeded documents on your laptop, clean out your closet, or throw away expired products. A few days ago, I spent several hours cleaning out files on my laptop and it was one of the most relaxing things I’ve done in a while.
12. Video Chat Friends and Family
Being in quarantine or being unable to do the normal spring break activities may feel like you’re socially isolated from the rest of the world. Find a way to video chat your friends and family to feel more connected. Remember, we’re all in this together!
13. Write
I try to journal everyday and, during the pandemic, I have found that writing has really helped me understand my feelings better. Yes, it’s hard to not go about your day like you normally do. However, writing about the pandemic situation will not only allow you to reflect on your feelings, it also provides you with an artifact that you can look back on in a few years and think about what this period in history was like. Other than journaling though, you can write lots of other things. Maybe you’ve wanted to write a story or a book. Why not start now? You have plenty of time to!
BONUS! Future Institute Programs
If you are part of Future Institute’s Future Fund or Future Leaders Initiative (FLI) programs, take some of your free time to meet with your mentor or attend a workshop. Because these programs are online, you are a click away from meeting with someone who can give you advice and support.
If you have questions, please contact your program officer.
So, while it’s not very fun to spend spring break stuck at home, try to appreciate some of your current free time! By following travel restrictions and socially distancing yourself from others, you can help stop the spread of this disease and get back to normalcy soon!
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